CityLights
by CarlitosCandy
Summary: The only man Elizabeth had ever loved was banned to the ocean for life, now years after the heartbreak Elizabeth sneaks into the once familiar waters to search for the loving heart and lonely ship amidst the waves. Jack Elizabeth
1. Chapter 1

This was a fic I started a looooong time ago, before the third enstallment of _Pirates_ came out. Needless to say, I lost a bit of insparation when Elizabeth ended up with Will (actually, we all know Jack got his ship back and he and Elizabeth sailed away forever in the midst of love).. but this is such a wonderful story I'm very proud of (so far.. its not completed!) So I thought I'd post it for all my faithful Sparrabeth lovers!

Enjoy, review, encourage. Next chapter should be up very, very soon!

Love, Candy.

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**City Lights**

Author: Candy

Rating: PG-13

Characters: Elizabeth, Jack, a few randomies

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the few randomies, not like they really matter.

Summary: _Award Winning!_ Years after Elizabeth was forced apart from the only man she ever loved when he was banned to the ocean for life, she sneaks into the once-familiar waters to search for the loving heart and loenly ship amidst the waves. _Jack / Elizabeth_

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Something's in the air tonight, the sky's alive with a burning light.

You can mark my words.. something's about to break.

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There were no city lights in London.

Night fell early on most days, thick and dark in it's sudden blanket, coating the city in a storm of black ash. Doors were locked, windows were shut.. no fires remained ablaze nor even the slightest end of one's whisper carried in the fading wind. Like the helpless prey fearing capture from the jaws of it's vicious predator, the small town on the edge of the ocean remained still and silent throughout the blackest night, a breath held cold within its chest, hoping to remain unseen by the plagues of evil that haunted all edges of the sea. Plagues that would crawl through the streets of unsuspecting towns, hidden with their darkness, killing and screaming and breaking anything in their path. They killed the meek and continued on blood-thirsty hunts for the wealthy, to strip them of whatever precious riches they held. The woman were both raped and captured, the children beaten and tossed aside like weightless dolls. Houses destryoed..families torn to pieces... and by the time morning rose after the haunting and murderous night, the ships of black would sail away and the town was left to tremble.

But thats the way it was, and the way it had always been. Nothing about the darkest nights that settled upon London were ever going to change.

Well...there was one night... One night where not even the silent breath nor the smoke of the diminished flames could have saved them.. One fateful, dark night that hadn't gone unnoticed, and changed the course of life as they had known it forever.

Night had just fallen, and the eyes of the town had become heavy after the lively waterside festivities had come to an end. Families were just heading home with yawning children and sheepish smiles, seemingly not worried about the lights that still dotted the town from oceanside, nor too hurried to diminished them, either. The governor's daughter was safe within the confines of her room, a soft candle burning beside her as she gazed longingly out her window, where she could only admire at the places she dreamed to reach. It was then, with her hazel eyes dancing within the soft waves of the ocean, did she notice the black dots and dark mist that floated from the faded horizon.

Knocking over the light that had exposed them, Elizabeth grabbed her dress within her hands and ran as fast as she possibly could to her father, who had been approaching her room with guards at his side... he had seen them also. A call rang out from the bell tower to the city below, causing an unsettling chill to encase the air, the high-pitched screams and cries of both woman and children rising in the night.

Fleeing to the carriage her father had demanded for her, she could see the pirates begin to litter the town below..starting meaningless fires and destroying any shop or carriage they possibly could. The carriage of her own hadn't made it far from the large manor she'd just departed from, pirates crawling up from the east side of the city killed the driver and set free the horses before they opened the doors and took Elizabeth for their own. But alas, they took the very person she realized, now, she never wanted back..

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Taking the candle that had given her the smallest means of guidance, she slowly opened the door of her room and crept out into the hallway, where darkness enveloped her completely. Her eyes darted down the hallway, to the maid's quarters and to the room where her father was sure to be sleeping, those doors were closed, no sound emitting from them. And so, with her tiny little candle, she stepped over every creaking board and squeaky hinge she possibly could as she tip-toed throughout the house, on her way to the front door.

She had done this a countless amount of times before, antics that were usually cut short by a wandering maid or sleepless butler.. then she'd make up a small excuse, and head back to bed with her head hung in defeat. But not tonight, she thought with a coy smile as her trembling fingers slipping around the cold brass of the door handle. Blowing out her candle and setting it gently next to the door, she unlocked all the hooks and chains slowly and silently, before opening the door the slightest inch with each beat of her anxious heart.

Once the door was open just enough she could easily manage to slip through it, Elizabeth took one last look at the darkened house, patted the small knife she'd tied to the waist of her dress, and slipped perfectly into the cool lightness that was the night.

The air was crisp and chilled, the silence so thick and brittle she feared that if she made even the slightest noise, the perfect reverie that encased her would shatter into millions of pieces. The small families of the town were all tucked into their cosy beds, the smoke from diminished flames floating gently from cracked windows. Everything was completely silent, no animals calling, no whispers of conversations in the dead of night, and she felt as if she were some pirate-like intruder as she walked along the main dirt path to her destination.

Soon, the hill leveled out and she approached what she found to be surprisingly eerie; downtown, the usually buisiest part of their small village. Wrapping her arms around her for all the warmth she could gather, Elizabeth peeked into the windows of each and every shop she passed by, admiring the charm of the sleeping town. She decided to pick up speed in order to make it back to the home a little after sunrise, but was stopped in the middle of her tracks once she came upon a small shop that was all to familiar, the blacksmith's. The window was dusty on the inside, and as she peered through the bubbled glass, she could see the floor of dirt and the defined foodprints upon it..footprints, she guessed, from a certain someone who had forgotten something across the room after he'd swept. The tools were hung above the mighty fireplace, the donkey lay sleeping beneath the rafters, and a few small barrels of hay laid peacefully near the enterance. For the slighest moment, she'd both hoped and feared he would suddenly appear somewhere in the confines of the peaceful little shop...and maybe, just maybe, he'd greet her with that same warm, handsome smile as he'd always use to.

Biting her lip, Elizabeth turned away from the shop and once again headed town the long path of light dirt that coated the bottom of her dress and shoes, something she'd have to make up an explination for in the morning. The sky, she realized, was what else but a deep purple..the stars white and barley visable as they peeked through the passing clouds. The wind suddenly became stronger as her journey went on, a familiar chill biting at the air, and she knew she was near.

Sure enough, after steadily passing one last bend in the road the mighty shore of the ocean was in her sight. It was breathtaking, as it always was in the darkness of the night, almost melodic as the light waves lapped upon the shore. It was the most perfect of blues in contrast with the darknened sky, which seemed to lighten a bit where the neverending ocean seemed to head. Slipping off her shoes, she left a string of loenly footprints to where the waves touched, and waited a moment to take it all in before encasing herself waist deep in the frigid ocean waters. It was terribly cold, but so liberating at the same time she couldn't stand to head back so quickly. Letting her eyes flutter shut, she felt the steady breeze brush past her, the wonderful sent of the salt filling her senses.

When she used to come out to the ocean, after the attack that had shaken the heart of the small village, she'd bring a small candle and light it as the waves crashed into her. The wind was usually steady enough to not kill the flame, but just incase, she'd keep it close to her form and protect it from the winds that threatened. And as the little flame glowed against the heavy darkness, she hoped that someplace far off in the beautiful distance, someone would catch the subtle glow and sail in her direction..where he'd bring her aboard his ship and ravish her with the passion she craved. After all, that had been what he promised her so many months ago.

But after a while of lighting the lone candle in the middle of the night, she realized that it was far too unsafe for even her restless heart, and decided that simply coming out to the ocean in the dead of night would be just enough.

Allowing her eyes to flutter open once again, Elizabeth scanned the very edges of the far away ocean, hoping she'd be able to see something tonight. And sure enough, on the farest away edge possible..she spotted it. She spotted the black speck of beauty that caused her heart to ache. She wasn't sure even if that was the right ship, nor if anyone was even paying attention to the loenly woman standing waist-deep in the freezing waves of a foamy ocean shore. But she stood in awe of the unique beauty that was the loenly black ship within the waters of the most beautiful ocean, one which the sun was sure to be rising steadily over soon.

Knowing they were not able to come any closer, and would now head back to greater depths, Elizabeth whispered a few soft words before gathering her soaking dress within her chilled palms, heading back up the silent dirt path to the candle she'd left aglow upon her windowsill.

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I know, I know.. that was a little short and there was no Sparrabeth love. But I promise you will not be dissapointed as things continue..which they will very soon. REVIEW!!


	2. Chapter 2

**:Part 2:**

**A few days later.**

Her eyes were foggy as they laid upon the liquid iron of the ocean at sunset, her mind in a distant place. Salty ocean wind and a small, melodic hum of the townspeople below filled her bedroom through the open window, where she had been waiting, admiring, lost in a reverie. But all was broken with a familiar pounding of the door, and Trista, her close friend and maid of the governor's household, allowing herself to enter.

She smiled warmly as Elizabeth looked back at her, "My dear, you know you shouldn't be sitting there like that... especially with night approaching as it is." Shutting the two windows together and locking them, Trista turned back to the other large windows that adorned the oval room and brought the thick curtains together, causing a darkness to eat away the all the light. A fire she'd lit earlier helped light a few candles which she placed on Elizabeth's bedside table, and then opened her wide closet doors to search for her night gown.

"Trista," Elizabeth began as she peeked out the small slit of nighttime through the curtains, "What would you say if I were to tell you that I wanted to see the ocean again?"

Trista was silent for a moment, shutting the closet doors slowly before turning around and laying the garment across her bed. "I'd tell you, you live a few minutes away from it, miss."

She was silent, removing the clips from her hair and placing them in a small dish on her vanity as she stood. When her curly locks tumbled down her shoulders, she ran her fingers through them, quietly resenting the fact that the strands that had been bleached by the blazing ocean sun finally faded. After slipping on her pajamas and partly curling into bed, Elizabeth looked up at her friend with big, soft eyes. "...you know what I mean."

Seemingly pondering the thought of being the friend or simply the maid, Trista's eyes wandered aimlessly across the room, before clearing her throat and gently sitting upon the bed next to her friend. "Well, then it is as I feared..." She smiled weakly, taking Elizabeth's small palm within her own, "Ever since that pirate returned with you, I couldn't help but notice something in you changed. You were always smiling, always singing, always had your head in the clouds... but over time that smiling and singing turned into a loensome sorrow... and I know you miss him, Elizabeth. But unlike your father I believe that tearing you apart from what you love will not make you forget about it over time.. I've watched you sneak out into the ocean over the past many months, and I knew a time would come where you could no longer bear being away from something you've loved as much as you did the moment you laid eyes on him... True love never changes, Lizzie... I know...I know."

The woman turned her head to the side and bit her lip, praying the tears would stay at bay as long as she needed them to. Her eyes crawled to the area where Trista held her trembling palms in her own and smiled softly, looking at her for the slightest moment before turning away. "..I do... I miss him, and its painful when I see that loenly ship as close as it possibly could ever be..but its still so far away I can barley even see it at all, nor will the waves allow my hopeless words to reach them. And I know I shouldn't blame my father... but..."

When her words slowed to a sensless drip, she buried her head within her hands and felt comfort when Trista wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's sobbing form. "Your father only did what he thought would keep you safe and happy, Lizzie.. he would never hurt you, whether he knows whats right for you or not..." When Elizabeth lifted her head, Trista's voice fell to a soft and cooing whisper, and she gently smoothed away the stray hairs that stuck to her flushed face."You mustn't worry, Elizabeth, it has been many months but its not the end. Think of it as a whole new beginning."

Elizabeth was silent, somewhat deep in thought as her eyes fell upon her bedside table, wishing she could show Trista the circle where dust had not settled from the coin that had laid there for so many years of her life. Turning back to her friend, she came to her knees, holding Trista's hand in her own excitedly. "..will you help me escape?"

Her eyes widened in shock, a quick gasp falling from her parted lips as she brought a hand to her chest. "Elizabeth!...you can't, you mustn't...your father.." She trailed off then, her mind seemingly fearful of the thoughts floating around in the woman's mind.

"My father will be just fine, I'll visit him when I should..." Tilting her head to the side, she admired the perplexed woman infront of her she wasn't sure she could've carried on without, and took her hand within her own. "This is something I have to do.. he'll never be able to come to me, if he does so he faces the gallows, but I'd be able to find him if I tried... Theres not much longer I can go on living like this,"

Trista stared straight ahead, eyes wide and tired, her features somber. A candle next to them fell dead, leaving only one to set aglow the small space between them, and she turned back to Elizabeth and whispered to her with a small, sad smile. "Then I shall miss you."

**A few nights later.**

Elizabeth wisked through the mansion she'd spent her entire life within, saying goodbye to each tiny detail she knew would leave her over the passage of time. A dark hooded cape encasing her body within the darkness, a small candle leading her way throughout the empty hallways, she did her best to stay silent as she'd done so when she'd snuck out to see the ocean. The night before, she'd packed all the small, meaningful things she could not live without into a small bag... but there was one thing she couldn't bring with her that meant far more than any trinket that laid with the rest of her belongings, and before leaving a small note to him upon her nightstand, she darted down the hallway as a ghost within the night.

She approached the door to her father's room ever so silently, a breath held within her chest as she searched for any sign that he was awake. When a rythmic snore swept past her ears, she opened the door slowly... her heart breaking once she'd stepped inside. Her father was sound asleep, drowned in the fluffy white blankets of his royal bed. Next to him laid his wig, a small necklace of her mother's, and a portrait of herself from when she had been a little girl.. a smile as bright as daylight itself as she sat upon his lap.

A slight moment flickered where she pondered the thought of forgetting about her beloved ocean and staying at her father's side until he was too old to move, but that thought quickly vanished. She would see her father again someday, but with her deepest inner longing...that was different. She tiptoed into the room quietly, admiring her father encased in slumber with a smile on her face, before laying a soft kiss goodbye upon his cheek.

And with that, Elizabeth left the room as steadily as a gust of wind, the flame of the candle diminishing as she darted down the stairs. Slipping the hood of her cape over her head, she turned to face her home one last time, as she'd always done when she'd sneak out to see the ocean, before opening the frontdoor left unlocked and vanished into the night.

The air was heated, which had been unusual for an oceanside village's night, but the warmth, she realized, was probably just rising from her own anticipation and fear. Upon the other side of the house, Trista had been waiting silently with a horse taken from the stables..bags of food and all of Elizabeth's belongings strapped to it's saddle. When Elizabeth finally arrived, breathless from her panic, she had been cooing the beast with light whispers..telling it how it had some precious cargo upon it, and would have to take care of her and protect her to it's best.

Elizabeth said nothing as she approached, and Trista grinned at her with a proud and hopeful smile as she helped her upon the horse, who remained, thankfully, obedient and tender the entire time. Checking one last time beneath the cascading dark cape to see if Elizabeth and all the bags were secure upon the saddle, Trista took in a deep breath, settling her trembling hands upon the horse's reigns. "Remember.. head for Tortuga, you should reach it about sunrise, and sell the horse for some money to use for bargaining your way through anything you have to. And wrap your hair up...no beastly pirate would have that beautiful hair."

The woman smiled, a storm of mixed emotions brewing inside her, unsure of what to say...nor how to feel. "Thank you, Trista." She finally whispered softly as she wrapped the reigns around her fingers, her eyes fallen upon the distant ocean and the road that awaited her, "Wish me luck... and I shall see you soon."

But she only smiled faintly in response..waving goodbye with one arm wrapped around her form for warmth as Elizabeth galloped away, hoping in a strange sense her friend might never return. For, should she return any time within the next few months, it would only be from such a thing as a broken heart..a fate far worse than any death she could possibly imagine.

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_..once again, sorry for the no Sparrabeth love!! Reviews are my insparation, and insparation brings updates (updates which include J/E love!) Thanks for reading._


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry it's taken so long for me to get this up! Here is Part 3.. reviews are always, always appreciated. Keep up the Sparrabeth love

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Elizabeth galloped through the steady night with fear in her head, but hope within her rapidly beating heart. She had worried that perhaps Trista hadn't made it in the house in complete silence and faced serious trouble...or worst of all, if her father would figure out where she headed and have the royal navy at the heels of the Pearl. She shook the worry from her mind, slowing the horses' pace once she realized that such a gallop wasn't needed in order to reach Tortuga by the time she needed. After all, the lush rolling hills and dirt road that separated them were completely empty.. the ocean in the distance provided a melodic hum for her senses. The sky was endless, purpleish blue and as spotted with stars and clouds as she'd ever seen it.

No longer having any boundries, she tilted her head back, allowing the calming scent of dewy grass to encase her completely. Her thoughts, jumbled and fearsome, danced to the heavens and traveled back to a memory she'd wished never would've sealed their cursed fate.

_The horizon had been absolutely gorgeous, mighty and fierce in it's fiery colors as it dashed across the sky. His arm had been bound around her, and he had whispered something about how the exotic beauty of the sunset paled in comparison to hers. In return, she kissed him softly. Not so far off in the distance, a familiar shoreline rose up above the sea, and Elizabeth was not mistaken when she could've sworn a small glimmer of light shone from her bedroom window, within the house upon the hill._

_The crew scattered off at port, with high hopes of catching the eye of a beautiful woman in such a prosporous town, or catching some well needed rest within the barrels of warm hay kept in the village stables. They had no orders other then to return, if they wished, at dusk... a few hours would give the captain and his maiden enough time to do as they needed._

_Around dusk the couple entered the home she hadn't seen in quite some while, and walked gently to where her father had been - his head in his hands as he sat alone in his study. His eyes lit up to that familiar glow when she approached him, and wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. Meanwhile, Jack waited paitently behind... and her father's igorant bliss rose to the occasion when he merrily shook his hand, thanking him for saving his only daughter from a terrible fate._

_But as dusk fell, it was that ignorance that completely withered when a piece of the Royal Navy burst into the very room they settled in, and although he had just enough time to escape, seized Jack in their strength and chains. They stated they'd seen other pirates within the area and learned that the most evil of all had been within the govenor's household, his arm bound around Elizabeth herself. Her father had suddenly filled with hatred, throwing curses and slurs at the man before him. And yet, Jack was silent._

_Elizabeth was frantic, pleading with her father to release him as tears dripped upon his aging coat, but her cries fell on deaf ears. He sent Jack to the gallows to be hung when a big enough crowd gathered at nightfall, and as she was left alone in her father's study, she realized there was almost nothing she could do any longer._

Elizabeth shook the memory from her mind, leaning forward on the dark horse for support.. the nerves and excitement that had been building inside caused her to become weary, and yet she knew she could not sleep. A small village was not far off, but she could not risk staying too long or becoming too attached to anything there...the ships docked at Tortuga always fled shortly after sunrise.

Wrapping the reigns between her fingers, she kicked the side of the horse and quickened to a steady gallop, knowing the painful memories would only yearn to fly to the heavens if she did not do something to keep them at bay. Far too many nights had been spent with those memories causing her pain and resent, and she knew that now, with the small town far behind her, all that was left was too look forward to the future. A future just barley dancing upon the very ends of her fingertips.

**xxxx**

The sky was the most greyish of purples, cream-colored clouds spread thinly across the canvas, when Elizabeth rode into the small port town of Tortuga early in the morning. She had arrived just in time, the town had been quiet still, barley waking and drifting into the streets, and she took the opprotunity to find a quiet area within the lush fields around. The fleets, as she could see, were just peeking over the ends of the horizon, and she knew she had enough time to settle before the ships landed and then left once again.

After wrapping her hair back and grabbing something small to eat, she buried herself within the sweet-smelling fields of wheat, only realizing now how tired she actually was. But even after her eyelids fluttered in a threatening dance, she knew she couldn't let herself wander to such a state. The ships would be arriving soon, and her chance to sneak aboard would run slim as time went by. Folding her arms behind her head as means of comfort, she looked over at the grazing creature beside her. He'd been so clam, so soothing.. as if he knew of her destination and would fly off into the sky to get there quicker if she'd asked him to. The thought of selling him made her heart ache, and she knew she'd have to be careful of who she chose to give him to.

Coming to her feet, she took off her cape and stuffed it in the small bag she'd brought with her, then lead the horse down the now busy streets of Tortuga. It was a busy, hardworking town, with lots of families and strays and homeless folk spending the little they had on booze and women. It held no sweetness but embraced a unique charm, and was known by everyone and anyone who'd ever sailed across the seven seas.

As she walked through the now awaken town, the horse obedient at her side, her eyes crawled across the string of small plots of farmland and small, man-made homes, hoping there would be someone that might catch her eye. There were many families, some seemingly not so humble, others looking a bit too nice as she passed on by..and it wasn't long before she got to the end of the road. But it was then, with the end in sight, she managed to spy the smallest, weakest, most seemingly humble little family there might ever be. It was a small chunk of land surrounded by an old fence to keep to it's own from the other larger plots around it. An elderly man was hunched over the dry and unforgiving earth, reaping the soil while careful to avoid the small green buds sprouting from the earth.

At his side was a small, flushed face and dirt-covered little girl. Her dress was old, she wore no shoes, and yet she remained at her father's side with a basket in her chubby, sun-kissed arms. Elizabeth approached her with a gentle smile, nodding towards the horse at her side. "He's a bit thirsty, could we have some water?"

At first all the little girl did was look up at Elizabeth with striking blue eyes, as if worried of her true intentions, but soon shook the thought off as she pointed to a troff behind their house. "Our only goat died a little while ago," She said sweetly in a child-like voice. "But there must be water still in there."

After leading her horse over to the water, she took her bags off of his saddle and threw them around her shoulder, approaching the young girl once again as she kneeled next to her in the dirt. She smiled. "I think he likes it here," She whispered, nodding towards the horse, as if telling the child her deepest secret. "Mind if he stays for a while?"

The girl looked at her quizically, her hands clasped behind her back as her eyes fell to her feet..then to her father as he remained at work, then back into Elizabeth's eyes. "Father says we don't have enough money to buy a pony."

Not able to contain her huff of laughter, she pulled a small bundle of oats from her bag and plopped it into the girl's chubby, mud-stricken palm. "Oh, you musn't worry about that... you see, I am going on a long journey and I simply cannot take him with me. You can just take him, he'll help with farming and going into town... feed him those when he's good."

It was then the child finally seemed to realize that Elizabeth was no evil magician or selfish trader, her eyes began to sparkle in the sun. With a toothy grin, she looked back at her father, then over to the beautiful horse that seemed blissfully aware that he was around to stay. "Oh, thank you." She squealed, throwing her arms around Elizabeth's slim waist. "I will take good care of him,"

Smiling a soft smile, she ran her hands through the girls matted hair, a sadness taking over her. "Of course, thats why I chose you for him." After a small goodbye to the beautiful little girl and the horse that had been a blessing for her journey, Elizabeth left with her eyes drowned in pools of tears. She remembered so perfectly those many months ago, she had truly believed that by this time, such a sweet little girl born of the ocean would have been her own.

Seeing the life at sea begin to unfold at the docks, she burst into a desperate run, unable to believe she had gone so long without the man she loved.

**xxxx**

With the orange and blazing sun yawning low in the sky, she managed to slip into the busy scene of men loading and unloading cargo from mighty ships easily. After rubbing some dirt on her clothes and stealing a swig of rum from the still hand of a man asleep against the dock, Elizabeth simply walked into the middle of the chaos and grabbed one end of a heavy crate a man had been struggling with. Her smile did not leave her face until she began to exit the cargo hold, when she caught sight of a tall, handsome man. A man with dark brown hair that blew in the wind and shining green eyes, who stood upon empty crates and directed the fast-moving mass of people preparing the ship for her next adventure.

She'd gasped when he finally looked at her, his smile bright and warm as he waved her over to roll barrels of gun powder around, "Step to, mate!" He'd yelled.

With a heavy heart, Elizabeth did as she was told, a frown marring her dirty cheeks as she avoided eye contact with the behind her. He seemed so wonderful, so kind... a piece of her plan that she knew threatened her own fate and determination. A test she knew might send her sailing back home, to the unlit shores of the hidden town.


End file.
